INSCRIPTION OBLIGATOIRE - Evenement réservé uniquement aux membres de l'Unil et de l'EPFL
Meditation: A Path Toward Individual and Collective Health?
Monday, October 5, 2026 - 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM - Amphimax, Auditorium 351, University of Lausanne
Great traditions of wisdom have always sensed it: our inner world shapes our biology. Today, 'endogenetics' - at the crossroads of neuroscience and epigenetics - confirms this intuition. At a time when stress and health challenges compel us to rethink our balance, health is revealing itself to be a relational phenomenon, a bridge between our inner well-being, our collective life, and our environment.
But how can we translate this science into concrete practice? What is the real impact of a few minutes of silence on the regulation of our nervous system? How can meditation biologically influence the slowing of cellular aging?
In this exclusive conference, Kamlesh Patel (Daaji), a scientist by training and international guide of the Heartfulnessmethod, explores this unique link between consciousness and physiology. Author of the bestsellers The Heartfulness Wayand Spiritual Anatomy, he will decipher the biological mechanisms of meditation and share a simple, accessible, and effective method to integrate it into your daily life.
More than just a lecture, this event is an invitation to discover how self-transformation can become, both individually and collectively, a key to a more peaceful life.
Program:
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5:00 PM - Welcome Address (Speaker to be confirmed)
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5:05 PM - Lecture: The Regenerative Potential of Meditation - Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji)
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5:45 PM - Collective Experience: Heartfulness Immersion
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6:00 PM - Perspectives: Insights from Students
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6:15 PM - Panel Discussion: When the Heart Dialogues with the Brain & Audience Q&A
with:
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Emmanuelle Jeker Frésard, psychologist and psychotherapist within the Department of Psychiatry at the CHUV (Vaudois University Hospital) in Lausanne.
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Christoph Michel is an honorary professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and Chief Neuroscientific Director at All Here SA. A pioneer in high-density EEG and electrical neuroimaging, he is known for developing EEG microstate analysis and applying it to both clinical research and, more recently, the study of meditation and contemplative states.
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Dr. Sylvie Briand is currently Chief Scientist at the WHO. Previously, she served as Director of the Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department and contributed to the response to the major epidemics and pandemics of this century. She has been practicing meditation for several years to manage job-related stress. She also aims to promote mindful leadership to support the well-being of her teams and maximize their impact on global health.
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Kamlesh Patel, international guide of the Heartfulness method.
The conference will be moderated by journalist Amanda Castillo.
For any questions: evenements@unil.ch
Practical Information
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Audience: Free event, open to everyone.
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Language: The conference will be accessible in English and French.
This event, supported by the Fondation Margherita, is part of the UNIL+EPFL Health Days, which aim to raise awareness within the community about global health issues. Click here to discover the program for the 2026 edition.